Shay Mitchell’s New Electrolyte Packets Made Me Skip My In-Flight Ginger Ale

Flights drain your wallet of its dollars and your body of its necessary moisture. Alas, I always utter "ginger ale" when the flight attendant asks "What would you like to drink?" at 10,000 feet. Sweet, unhealthy carbonation all the way. Plain plane water, I say nay. Shay Mitchell on the other hand, according to HydraLyte representatives, says "maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle" is a "priority."

Okay, it's difficult to not change your ways when the Canadian actress, model, and Beís founder not only promotes a hydration-savvy lifestyle but also creates a low-sugar, sparkling lemon electrolyte packet in collaboration with trusted wellness brand HydraLyte. (Also available on Amazon!) In regards to hydration, "electrolytes direct water to areas of the body that require it," states registered dietician nutritionist and founder of The Well Society Sam Tahan. "They help our bodies absorb water from our small intestines more quickly and also more rapidly into cells," she adds.

Knowing I could benefit from some electrolytes in my semi-dehydrated kind of life, I eagerly accepted the $25 18-count pack the brand offered to send me back in November. Let's just say, I'm now a loyal subscriber and receive a bag every month for $21.24. Plus, I no longer say "ginger ale" on the plane. I say "no, thank you" and bust out my HydroFlask. Find out why, below.

Electrolytes not only accelerate hydration, but they also "balance and regulate fluids in our body," says Tahan. But, with so many supplements and brands on today's shelves, there are plenty of red flags to look out for. Tahan warns of substances with high sugar contents and futile fillers like maltodextrin or corn starch. "Pay attention to the ratio of the electrolytes. Some options have a lot of sodium and potassium but no magnesium or calcium," she adds.

The green flags when it comes to these products are multiple electrolytes (not just a skewed amount of one or two), natural ingredients, no artificial sweeteners, and no common allergens.

As luck would have it, HydraLyte's products — including this Shay Mitchell collab — check a good amount of the boxes. One Lemon Squeeze packet includes 6 grams of glucose, 550 milligrams of sodium, 310 milligrams of potassium, citrate, and all-natural stevia leaf. The brand specifically promotes the inclusion of sugar in its formulas. According to its site, "When it comes to rapid rehydration sugar is key." However, Hydralyte has its limits, "We use precisely the optimal amount [of sugar] for maximum absorption and not a gram more." And as for dietary restrictions, the packs are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO.

It seems the only green flag missing is the missing magnesium or calcium .

Upon receiving my package I poured two packs into my 32-ounce water bottle — HydraLyte recommends one pack for every 16 ounces of liquid. Since I can barely stomach the taste of Emergen-C, I prepared my sensitive taste buds for the usual chalky, watery taste. Instead, they were met with a saturated punch of citrus, sweetness, and tingly tang just like the site promises. I don't want to sound crazy, but these packets could hold their own in a blind taste test alongside In-N-Out, Hot Dog on a Stick, and even Chik-fil-A lemonade. Realistically, they would lose, but for an all-natural supplement packet, that's history in the making. Fellow HydraLyte customer and on-site reviewer Samantha M. agrees, "DELICIOUS & REFRESHING," she writes. "I immediately signed up for auto-ships! I am so happy this came into my life." Same, Samantha M., same.

It's also important to note that I barely stirred the contents of my water bottle because the powder fizzled its way down on its own. After two hours, my bottle was empty (it usually takes me half the day to finish the 32 ounces), and there was no powder residue left at the bottom of the bottle either. Impressive.

I first noticed a shift at the gym. I filled my bottle with my usual two packs, drank about half on my walk over, and maintained stable energy throughout the viral TikTok 12-3-30 regimen. It wasn't a caffeine high or a jolt of enthusiasm. Rather, my mouth didn't gum up, and I didn't feel as, for lack of a better word, whooped during or after.

So, I decided to bring the packs with me to the airport for my six-hour-long flight to California. I was about two weeks into my daily consumption journey at this point and hooked. I'm talking looking forward to make this mix in the morning while snuggled up in bed. (Quite frankly, I'm probably going overboard with the amount I drink.)

Here's the thing, I HAD to pee on the flight. I have a JFK to SFO in-flight regimen that, when executed correctly, doesn't involve getting up (serial window-seat sitter) but does involve one ginger ale and a good four hours of sleep. This time, my bladder acted as an alarm clock and forced me to go to the bathroom about three hours in — sorry to my seatmates. Because of this hydration though, I noticed a lack of post-flight brain fog when my parents picked me up at baggage claim and less of that aforementioned whooped feeling. HydraLyte's site emphasizes the symptoms of dehydration: increased thirst, fatigue/lethargy, dizziness, headaches, and the list goes on. My six-hour flight experience didn't involve any of those characteristics for the first time in a long while.

Dehydrated hotties can rejoice — a delicious, natural electrolyte packet exists. Not only did I notice a difference in my day-to-day energy, but I also witnessed an overall healthy shift in my lifestyle. It sounds silly, but having a special drink to accompany me to the gym made me more eager to actually exercise. The constant hydrating feeling even coerced me to drink more plain water because my body craved it more often. I highly recommend this surprising collab, and my mile-high ginger ale club is officially disbanded.

(T-minus two days before my next monthly shipment.)